An Uchiha's troubled mind
by MissKluck
Summary: Set during chapter 691, but with a different ending. Mostly Sasuke's POV during the chapter, focused mostly on his thoughts and feelings around what he is to do next. Will Sakura be able to reach out for him after all? Slight SasuSaku. One-shot.


Here's the third fic that I forgot to update. I was actually prompted just after chapter 691 came out about making a story evolving around said chapter, and this is what I ended up with.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, only this one-shot is mine

**An Uchiha's troubled mind**

Sasuke's mind was in turmoil. As the sixth path kage stood talking to them, his mind was reeling, already thinking of what he had to do next. The sage was congratulating Kakashi on how he had lead them to seal away Kaguya, on how good a friend he still had been to Obito and how he, even though lost, still had been able to lead them. Ridiculous. Just then Naruto called out for Kurama, loudly asking if the nine-tailed beast had been lonely all by himself, all in typical Naruto fashion of course. And Sasuke felt himself become even more unsettled by this. How could they all think that it was over? How could they all act so relaxed when his clan's massacre still wasn't properly accounted for? The system was still the same and it was probably only a matter of time before something like the Uchiha clan massacre was to happen again.

Still, the way the sage spoke about Naruto, about how special a ninja he was to have all the tailed beasts cooperate with him again, it made Sasuke slightly hope that there was another way besides killing him and the kages that the system could finally be changed. Out of the corner of his eyes Sasuke saw Sakura look at him, smiling slightly as she saw him look back at her too. Would her smile still be there as he killed Naruto, the kages and once and for all got rid of the tailed beasts? Probably not, but that was a price he was willing to pay, right? It was necessarily, a price had to be paid, and if it was his relationship with Sakura then so be it. They hadn't really had any relationship anyway, neither platonic nor romantic. Still, why did he find himself so opposed to this idea then?

He concentrated on the conversation again, ignoring his own feelings and Sakura still smiling at him. So Obito was finally gone then? Sasuke didn't get long to think about it though as Kakashi suddenly started to collapse, Sakura instantly catching him, calling his name. And to his slight surprise Sasuke found himself worrying over his former sensei's welfare. Tch, as if. And now there weren't any more intruders that had the sharingan, the clan could finally be cleansed once and for all. 'Not that there was anyone else left besides me though', a grim voice came from the back of his mind, though he irritably pushed it away. It would soon be changed anyway, he just needed to make the path all the way through so his clan could once again prosper.

Hearing that Kakashi had lost the sharingan, Sasuke also felt the need to truly check up on Madara, to know that the traitor was dead. And so he started running, but was quickly stopped by the sage. Sasuke felt this weird satisfaction at hearing the sage proclaim the same doom upon Madara as Sasuke himself felt the man should have. Having the ten tails removed meant that Madara was finally beyond saving; he would finally disappear from this world. To the sage's tip about listening to his ancestors Sasuke felt sceptic. Why should he listen to them when they had already failed and were as good as dead? Still, Sasuke listened, unwilling or not he was not quite sure.

Listening to the conversation of the two founders, Sasuke felt slightly unsettled. His dream wouldn't end up like that, right? He didn't have to trust in anybody, the plan was just so simple and then, when everything was changed, then he could let the dream of a yet again powerful clan live on to his children. Sasuke tried to tune out the conversation of Hashirama and Madara as best as he could, but without luck. Tch, annoying. A small part of him actually wanted to listen, actually wanted such a relationship as Hashirama and Madara once had had, and that part was also the part opposed to kill Naruto. But it was necessarily, for the sake of the Uchiha clan and for the village, it had to be done.

As the sage said that the former kages were to be sent away, Sasuke witnessed Naruto jump away and over to his father. Again Sasuke both wanted to look away and to not take his eyes of the scene. Why wasn't he the one to see his parents again anyway? Why was it always the stupid, selfish, arrogant Naruto? "And, uh, er… I've made a bunch of friends! They're all awesome!" Really? Naruto still thought of him as a friend? After all this? Maybe there was something to that? Sakura's gaze and smile hadn't really seemed like from a person bitter over having almost being killed either. It had seemed gentle, caring, loving, just like Naruto's speech just then. They both cared way too much. Why did they both have to be so annoying?

Maybe his revolution would finally open their stupid minds and get them off that naïve way of thinking that everyone, no matter how low they had fallen, could become good again. Just look at the elders, the ones responsible for giving Itachi his mission. They were still rotten to the core, and would probably forever stay like that too, even if Danzo was dead they still kept on "fighting for the good of the village". Sasuke didn't believe those stupid, selfish elders for one second, nor did he trust the kages. They all had ulterior motives, hidden reasons both for joining the war alliance and for being kages, and Sasuke didn't want none of it. It would of course be sad to have to kill so many, but again, it was necessarily and as long as it was for the good of the clan then Sasuke didn't mind.

… Right? There was still this nagging feeling in the back of his mind that something wasn't quite right, that there was something wrong with his idea. But what should it then be? Wasn't Naruto the one that from day one had wanted to fight him? Hadn't Sakura said that she'd do anything she could in her power to help him? Hadn't Itachi done everything he could to protect him and Konoha? Done it so that Sasuke could restart the Uchiha clan and make it into a great clan again, away from the plotting of the corrupt elders and the power hungry Madara? Why, oh why, was his mind still in a frenzy then, and the nagging feeling hadn't gone away? Had he overlooked something? No, he couldn't have. Not this time. Right now, force was the only way.

"Sasuke-kun?" A recognizable voice from behind him had Sasuke turn around to come face to face with a worried, yet happy Sakura coming over with a limping Kakashi leaning on her for support. "So, it's finally all over, right Sasuke-kun? Things can go back to the way it used to be, and we can all have peace once more." She smiled, though Sasuke and Kakashi both stiffened, the teacher looking between his students in slight alarm.

What the heck did she mean 'go back to how it used to be'?! Did she really not know? Had she no idea what anything that she and her stupid village had been fighting for would never have been there if it hadn't been for his clan? Had no one told her? What? Conflicted by the want to lash out and hit her or Kakashi, Sasuke only stared intensely at their former teacher, silently threatening him to spill what was going on.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sasuke saw Naruto too look over at them, expression totally different from what it had been only moments before. "Ehm, Sakura-chan? There is something that you need to know that Kakashi and I might have withheld from you." Naruto looked uncertain, but determined. Things really needed to be cleared up once and for all.

Sasuke watched as Sakura's eyes widened and her head whipped to the side to stare at the blonde hero. "Withheld? W-what do you mean, Naruto?" She looked at him as if they might just be joking, that they would just suddenly proclaim that they were kidding. Her grip unintentionally tightened around Kakashi, making him hiss a little. "Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura looked over at their teacher as Naruto, although determined, hadn't manned up to say anything. When he didn't say anything either, only shamefully looking to the side, Sakura found herself looking at Sasuke, wanting to know the truth but also terrified of knowing it.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows in something that could have been an amused expression had it not been so serious. "So, you don't know after all, hm? Well no wonder you tried to kill me then." His voice was cold, harsh, and Sakura winced visibly at his last sentence. But something in Sasuke winced too, feeling that it was all wrong to take out all his bitterness and hurt on Sakura who, for once, was the most innocent in all of it. "The entire village, no the entire country of Konohagakure's biggest secret is that they assassinated the entirety of my clan, save for my brother and I, all for their selfish needs."

Sakura looked beyond shocked, staring at her former teammate wide-eyed as her mind tried to wrap around what he was saying. Finally, she opened her mouth a bit, but only a very confused "What…?" came out.

"My clan had for a long time been feared for their power and wealth, and so had been subdued and put into what seemed like important positions just so that the elders and the third hokage could keep watch on them. Then Madara, who both created a riot within my clan and manipulated the elders, made it so that the elders of Konoha ordered my brother, only aged thirteen, to massacre his own clan just for the sake of the village. Just because they were afraid of my clan and that they might try to take power, power that was as much rightfully ours as theirs, they had them all executed and killed. And they're getting away with it. The elders are freaking getting away with massacring a clan just to 'keep the peace' and 'act in what's best for the village'. The people of Konoha don't even know that they're living on heavily paid peace, paid by MY clan just to keep all you other stupid, selfish idiots 'safe'!" Sasuke was fuming, feeling riled up yet again by telling about his clan's massacre. It would soon be paid for, all would soon be changed and his clan would finally be able to rest in peace.

Sakura was just standing there in front of him, watching him with a still shocked expression on her face. She blinked several times, her eyes unfocused, before she shook her head as if to clear it, all the while trying to take in and understand what Sasuke had just revealed to her. Could it all really be true? Could this really have happened? But how? Why? Itachi wasn't the culprit after all? Still, registering how Sasuke had told her, one thing was clear, Sasuke was not going to leave things like they were. Not anymore.

Finally, she found her voice, "… you mustn't…" she muttered out, voice shallow. "You mustn't let the evil circle continue, Sasuke-kun. I cannot even begin to imagine everything you've went through, and how you must feel, and I am so, so incredibly sorry for this. For everything that has happened. If I could, I would have taken all your pain on me so that you wouldn't have to carry the burden anymore, but I can't. But what I can do is prevent you from digging yourself further into the darkness, and I'm going to by saying this: do not do anything more stupid. The war is over, many people have already died for the sake of everyone else, do not let anymore blood get spilled. That is not the way, not anymore."

Sasuke stood baffled for a moment, not really sure what to say, and feeling slightly bad for lashing out at her like he did. He shouldn't have been so harsh. He calmed a little, really watching the girl that stood in front of him and taking in how she had changed. Part of him actually understood and partly sided with what she had said, but another part of him didn't. What about his clan? His brother, his parents? Did they all die in vain?

As if sensing Sasuke's turmoil, Sakura shakily continued: "I am sure that Itachi-san and your parents would have said the same thing too. They want you to live, to prosper. They don't want you to dig yourself even further down because they're gone. I understand that it is a terrible loss, and it can never fully be replaced, but I believe that they don't want you to carry their weight, the weight of getting revenge, forever. They would want you to move on, to start anew with your clan in cooperation with the village and the Senju clan."

"A lot was been done wrong and many have died, but that is exactly why you need to stop the violence. Imagine now if you actually go through with this, how many more will be affected? How many more might want to seek revenge? Instead, isn't it better to cooperate, to try and find a way along with Naruto, the hokages and the tailed beasts to find a way to live in peace? When one find weak links one doesn't destroy them, rather one strengthen them and that is to be done to the current system too. Yes, the responsible will get their punishment, but you've got to be sure that you're not affecting innocent people too, just like what happened to you and the clan."

"Yeah, listen to Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto shouted. "There is no need to mix in people that doesn't have any part or even know what has been going on. I'm sure they'd be just as sorry as we are for what happened and I'm sure that with mine, Sakura-chan, Kaka-sensei and Tsunade-baa-chan's help, we can tell the world the real story and prevent such things from happening again." She looked earnestly at him, still wanting to do anything she could in order to help him, but she had no idea what she could to except to try and try again to bring him out of that darkness he seemed to have grown so fond of.

For several minutes they both just stood there, staring at each other. Sakura found herself wondering if she had indeed said something wrong and that maybe it was a genjutsu she was in now, but then she would have sensed it, right? Sasuke looked off to the side, smirking a little, and Sakura found herself tensing up. Maybe it was a genjutsu after all? Then Sasuke met her gaze head on again.

"Tch, annoying," she heard him say, and somehow that made her relax, made her feel safe. "Alright, I'll give it a try, _Sakura._"

but what do you think about the 691 idea then? should I have Sakura say or do something then? Like she suddenly interrupts his thoughts by coming over with a weak Kakashi and starts talking to him about how it's all over now and that they might finally have peace?


End file.
